Bulog scandal defendants placed under city arrest

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

For the sake of equality before the law, the Central Jakarta District Court ordered the release from detention on Friday of two defendants in the financial scandal involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

But unlike their high-profile co-defendants in the case, Akbar Tandjung and Rahardi Ramelan, the judges, while deciding to release Dadang Sukandar and Winfried Simatupang from their cells in the Attorney General's Office, nevertheless ordered them not to leave Jakarta.

The court argued that it was exercising its discretion in making the decision as there was a fear that both Dadang and Winfried would abuse their freedom for the purposes of destroying evidence, avoiding prosecution or leaving the country.

"We don't want to be reckless in this matter as these defendants have low profiles. It's a different story with Akbar, who is well known," explained the court's spokesman Judge Andi Samsan Nganro, who is also one of the judges handling the case.

Lawyers and relatives of the two defendants have repeatedly appealed to the judges to have the detention orders lifted over the last three months, and said they would guarantee that the defendants would not attempt to pervert the course of justice if released.

Main defendant Akbar, who is the House of Representatives speaker, has already been released from detention.

Akbar, who also chairs the Golkar Party, immediately used his freedom to visit his constituents across the country.

Dadang, who is the chairman of the Raudlatul Jannah Foundation, and Winfried, a contractor, are accused of being involved in the misuse of Rp 40 billion in non-budgetary funds belonging to Bulog.

The money was supposed to finance a government charity project in 1999, but many people believe that the funds went into Golkar's coffers to finance its general election campaign later that year.

Winfried has returned the money, claiming that, incredibly, he had forgotten that he had the money in his house. But, he later told the court that he had returned the money to save Akbar.

Presiding Judge Amiruddin Zakaria, in setting out the grounds for lifting the detention order, pointed out the need for equality before the law given that the defendant in a related case had also been released from detention.

The judge was referring to former Bulog chief Rahardi Ramelan, who disbursed the money. Rahardi had been detained in Cipinang Detention Center, but was then released under conditions of city arrest.

The examination of the defendants before the court is nearing its end, and only a few more sessions will be held before the presiding judge brings down the gavel.